Direction-signal-cancelling mechanism

ABSTRACT

A direction-signal-cancelling mechanism which is releasably assembled into the direction-signal-indicating apparatus of a vehicle, comprises an axially projecting tubular column integral with the base of said indicating apparatus and having a bore diameter sufficient a steering shaft to extend therethrough, an annular cam member having a bore diameter also sufficient for the steering shaft to extend therethrough and provided at its periphery with at least one axially extending lobe and at its upper end with at least one axially extending pin which is integral with said cam member sn engageable in a counterbore provided in the steering wheel for interconnecting the cam member and the steering wheel when said wheel is rotated and said pin and counterbore come into alignment with each other, either one of said tubular column and said cam member being insertedly mounted on the other so as to permit said cam member to be axially slidable and rotatable and to permit said lobe to project radially outwardly to engage a latch means on the indicating apparatus to effect automatic cancelling of the vehicle&#39;&#39;s direction signals, a spring means compressed between a flange provided on the cam member and the tubular column yieldably urging the cam member as a whole upwardly towards the steering wheel, and a flange provided on either one of said tubular column or said cam member limiting the extent of the upward movement of said cam member.

United States Patent Inventors Masaru Suzuki Hekikai-gun; YoshihiroKawai, Nagoya, both of Japan Appl. No. 24,101 Filed Mar. 31, 1970Patented Sept. 28, 1971 Assignee Kabushiki-Kaisha Tokai Rika DenkiSeisakusho NishiKasugai-gun, Aichi-ken, Japan Priority Sept. 13, 1969Japan 44/87 ,296

D[RECTION-SIGNAL-CANCELLING MECHANISM 3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl ZOO/61.34 Int. Cl H0lh 3/16 Field of Search ZOO/61.27, 61.38

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,413,426 11/1968 McClure et al.200/61 Primary Exam iiiE -Robert K Schaefer 7 Assistant ExaminerM.Ginsburg AttorneyShlesinger, Fitzsimmons & Shlesinger ABSTRACT: Adirection-signal-cancelling mechanism which is releasably assembled intothe direction-signal-indicating apparatus of a vehicle, comprises anaxially projecting tubular column integral with the base of saidindicating apparatus and having a bore diameter sufficient a steeringshaft to extend therethrough, an annular cam member having a borediameter also sufficient for the steering shaft to extend therethroughand provided at its periphery with at least one axially extend ing lobeand at its upper end with at least one axially extending pin which isintegral with said cam member sn engageable in a counterbore provided inthe steering wheel for interconnecting the cam member and the steeringwheel when said wheel is rotated and said pin and counterbore come intoalignment with each other, either one of said tubular column and saidcam member being insertedly mounted on the other so as to permit saidcam member to be axially slidable and rotatable and to permit said lobeto project radially outwardly to engage a latch means on the indicatingapparatus to effect automatic cancelling of the vehicle's directionsignals, a spring means compressed between a flange provided on the cammember and the tubular column yieldably urging the cam member as a wholeupwardly towards the steering wheel, and a flange provided on either oneof said tubular column or said cam member limiting the extent of theupward movement of said cam member.

P ATENTED SEP28 lsn 3509;254-

SHEET 2 OF 2 H 50:. um. and.

BY xw'kilu'ro K4 will DIRECTION-SIGNAL-CANCELLING MECHANISM Thisinvention relates to a direction-signal-cancelling mechanism of avehicle, and more particularly it relates to adirection-signabcancelling mechanism which can readily be assembled intoa conventional directionsignal-indicating apparatus.

' There has been proposed a number of direction-signal-canceilingmechanisms which are independent of but driven by a vehicles steeringmechanism so as to effect cancelling a direction signal in response toturning movements of the steering mechanism. One such mechanism has beendisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,413,426, in which a pin or plunger, whichis separate from a rotatable cam member and slidably carried in a boreformed in said member, is yieldably projected toward the steering wheelfor interconnecting said steering wheel in alignment with the saidrotatable cam member. However, there are several economic and structuraldisadvantages in such cancelling mechanisms. To wit, said pin or plungerhas to be made separate from the rotatable cam member, therebyincreasing the number of components constituting the mechanism, and saidbore has to be formed on the cam member with radially inwardly extendingprojections at the mouth thereof to limit the extend of the projectionof the pin or plunger. It is quite difficult and requires highly skilledtechnicians to form such projections, without losing their strength towithstand the torsional movement imparted thereto by the pin in responseto rotation of the steering shaft. Moreover, since said pin is projectedyieldably toward the steering wheel by a comparatively small coil springstored in the. bore, the interconnection between the cam member andsteering wheel or shaft is poor.

3 It is a principal object of the present invention to providedirection-signal-cancelling mechanism releaseably assembled into adirection-signal-indicating apparatus of a vehicle, which comprises anaxially projecting tubular column integral with a base member of saidindicating apparatus and having a bore diameter sufficient for asteering shaft to extend therethrough, an annular cam member having abore diameter also sufficient for the steering shaft to extendtherethrough and provided at its periphery with at least one axiallyextending cam lobe and at its upper end with at least one axiallyextending pin which is integral with said cam member and engageable in acounterbore provided in the steering wheel for interconnecting the cammember and the steering wheel when said wheel is rotated and said pinand counterbore come into alignment with each other, either one of saidtubular column and cam member being insertedly mounted on the other soas to permit said cam member to be axially slidable and rotatable and topennit the aforementioned lobe to project radially outwardly forengagement with a latch means of the indicating apparatus to effectautomatic cancelling of the vehicle's direction signals, a spring meansbeing compressed between a flange provided on the cam member and thetubular column so as to yieldably urge the cam member as whole upwardlytowards the steering wheel, and a flange being provided on either saidtubular column or said cam member so as to limit the extent of theprojection of said cam member, and in which the number of componentsconstituting the mechanism is lessened and the positive interconnectionbetween the mechanism and steering shaft through the steering wheel isassured.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description. In the accompanying drawing,

FIG. I is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of thedirection-signal-cancelling mechanism made in accordance with thepresent invention,

.FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the cam member,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of FIG. 2 taken along the line III-- III,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the tubular columnwith the cam member,

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of thedirection-signal-cancelling mechanism, and

FIG. 6 is a disassembled perspective view of the cam member of thesecond embodiment shown in FIG. 5.

In the first embodiment of the direction-signal-cancelling mechanismillustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, a housing I accommodates therein a basemember 2 generally extending transversely to the axial direction ofhousing 1 and having in its central portion the tubular section whichextends substantially coaxially with the axis of the housing and allowsa steering shaft to freely extend therethrough. For this purpose, thebase member 2 is provided with a tubular column 4 which is integral withsaid base member and projects upwardly from the said base membercoaxially with the tubular section of said member. Said tubular column 4has a diameter smaller than that of the tubular section and allows thesteering shaft to slidably extend therethrough. It is provided at itsupper free end with a flange 5 which slightly extends radially.

Another tubular column 3 is provided in the housing adjacent to andcoaxial with the tubular section of said housing, which has acomparatively large diameter and guides the steering shaft for passinginto the tubular section and tubular column 4.

Numeral 6 indicates a plurality of slits extending axially andequiangularly around the circumferential wall of tubular column 4 at itsupper portion, which give said upper portion of the tubular column suchresiliency that said upper portion temporarily is reduced in diameterwhen it is pressed inwardly from the outside.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 to 4, an annular direction-signab cancelling cammember 7 which has a bore diameter substantially corresponding to theoutside diameter of the tubular column 4 and which is provided adjacentto its lower end with a radially extending flange 9 and at its upperportion with a neck which has a bore diameter larger than the outsidediameter of the tubular column 4. The neck, which is provided with ashoulder 8 and a radially extending flange 10, is slidably fitted ontosaid tubular column 4. This insertion of the tubular column into the cammember is readily made by the provision of the aforementioned slits 6.The width of said shoulder 8, which is equal to the bore diameter of theaforementioned neck, substantially corresponds to the width of theflange 5. From the upper surface of the flange 10, pins 12, which areintegral with said flange, are axially projected. Cam lobes II areprovided on the peripheral surface of the cam member 7 between its upperflange l0 and lower flange 9, which extend axially and radially fromsaid surface. A spring 13 mounted between the lower flange 9 and basemember 2 urges the cam member 7 axially upwardly until the shoulder 8 ofcam member abuts against the flange 5 of tubular column 4.

Numeral 14 indicates a direction-signal-actuating bracket member whichis mounted on the base member 2 by a shaft so as to be horizontallyrockable with the latter, by the operation of a lever 15 fitted to saidshaft, from a neutral position to one of two positions where either aright or left direction signal lamp is actuated. A latch means, whichprojects into a path of movement of the cam lobes 11 and cooperates withsaid lobes for returning the actuating member 14 to neutral position inresponse to the movement of the lobes, is provided on said actuatingmember; the explanation and illustration of such latch means areomitted, since it is conventional and does not constitute part of thepresent invention.

A steering wheel 16 is fitted to the free upper end of the steeringshaft by a central hole of hub 17 of the steering wheel. It is providedon the inner surface of hub 17 with counterbores 18 which respectivelyextend axially and are of a size to accommodate therein the upper partsof pins 12 of the cam member 7. When the steering wheel 16 is assembledto a steering shaft mounted in the housing 1, the annular cancelling cam7 accommodated in said housing is pressed downwardly against the biasingspring 13, pins 12 being depressed by the inner surface of hub 17,unless the counterbores 18 on said surface and said pins 12 are broughtinto alignment. When the steering wheel 16 is rotated and said bores andpins come in alignment with each other, the cam member 7 is urgedupwardly by the spring 13, resulting in aligning the counterbores withthe pins, as illustrated in FIG. I.

In the direction-signal-cancelling mechanism described above, thetubular column 4 which slidably carries the upper part of steering shaftand as well movably supports the annular direction-signal-cancelling cammember 7 can easily be made integral with the base member 2 by moldingfrom synthetic resins, thereby resulting in making the whole structuremuch simpler compared to conventional cancelling mechanisms, and caneasily be made in the same molding operation so as to be provided at itsupper portion with the flange 5 and slits 6 which permit said column toresiliently accept the mounting of the cam member 7 over it, toeffectively support said member and positively limit the extend of theprojection of said member. It should be noted that said flange and slitscan easily be molded of synthetic resins with no difficulties andwithout adversely affecting their mechanical strength, since the tubularcolumn 4 has comparatively large dimension. It is one of the advantagesof the present direction-signal-cancelling mechanism that the annularcam member 7 can easily be made, by means of injection molding ofsynthetic resins for instance, integral with the shoulder 8, cam lobes11 and pins 12. Said pins 12, which are made integrally with the cammember and have a uniform diameter along their entire lengths couldhave, as mentioned in the foregoing, sufficient mechanical strength towithstand the torsional force exerted thereupon upon rotation of thesteering wheel.

Said cam member 7 can easily be mounted on the tubular column 4 which isintegral with the base member 2 of the mechanism and firmly be supportedby the latter as a component thereof, whereby the loss of said cammember before fitting it to the steering wheel can completely beavoided.

In the second embodiment of a direction-signal-cancelling mechanism inaccordance with the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, saidmechanism generally indicated by the letter a comprises a housing whichaccommodates therein a generally horizontally extending base member 21provided at its central portion with a tubular column 22 which isintegrally made with the base member 21 by means of injection molding ofsynthetic resins for instance and extends substantially coaxially withthe axis of the housing 20 and downwardly from said base member.Similarly to the first embodiment described in the foregoing andillustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, a direction-signal-actuating bracketmember 24 is horizontally rockably mounted on base member 21 by a shaft25 which is rotatably fitted into a hole 23 provided in said base memberoffset from the tubular column 22 and eccentric to the axis of thehousing 20. Said actuating member is operable by a lever 27 from aneutral position to a second position where either a rightorleft-direction signal lamp is actuated. Numeral 26 indicates a pair oflatch means (though only one of them is shown in the drawing for thesake of simplicity thereof) and radially outwardly extendinghorizontally from the actuating member 24 so as to project into the pathof movement of a cam lobe 29 of an annular direction-signalcancellingcam member 28 to cooperate with said lobe for returning the actuatingmember 24 to its original neutral position in response to the movementof the steering shaft b by the steering wheel e.

Said annular direction signal cancelling cam member 28 is, as best shownin FIG. 6, a tubular body having its outer diameter slightly larger thanthe diameter of steering shaft b and rotatably and slidably fitted intothe tubular column 22. Said annular cam member 28 is provided at itslower end with a radially extending flange 33 for limiting the extent ofthe projcction of said member and with a slit opening 34 axiallyextending upwardly. To the upper end of the member 28, there is provideda radially extending flange 36 which is integral with said member andhas a pin 35. Said pin 35 which is integral with the flange 36, projectsupwardly from the latter and has such a diameter that it can engage inthe bore h in disk plate g fitted on the lower surface of the hubfof thesteering wheel e. The aforementioned cam lobe is integral with theannular cam member 28, and projects radially from its periphery andextends axially from the upper end of the member 28 a predeterminedangular distance from the flange 36. It is preferable to provide a wedgeon the periphery of the cam member 28 at the location other than the camlobe 29 but corresponding to the lower end of said cam lobe, whichcooperates with said end to support a washer 30 horizontally thereunder.The annular cam member 28 has mounted on its periphery a coil spring 32which is yieldable between the aforementioned washer 30 and anotherwasher 31 supported by the base member 21, can readily be assembled intothe cancelling mechanism a by inserting its lower end into the upperopening of the tubular column 22 while compressing said lower endinwardly to temporarily and resiliently reduce the circumferentialdimension of flange 33 with the assistance of the slit opening 34 and bypassing said end through the tubular column until the flange 33 comesout from the lower opening of said flange. Thereby, the spring 32 isyieldably compressed between the upper washer 30 and the lower washer 31which rests on the upper end of the tubular column 22, and urges thecancelling cam member 28 upwardly until the flange 33 abuts against thelower end of said tubular column. The letter d indicates a central holein the steering wheel e which is to be fixedly fitted on the free end ofthe steering shaft b.

The manner of the assembly of the cancelling mechanism a in accordancewith the second embodiment of the present invention to the steeringwheel e is like that described in the foregoing in connection with thefirst embodiment, and the advantages of this second embodiment are alsothe same as those mentioned in the foregoing in connection with thefirst embodiment.

it should be noted that there is an additional advantage, which has notbeen mentioned in relation with the first embodiment though it is commonto this second embodiment and the first embodiment that the biasingspring 13 in the case of the first embodiment and the spring 32 in thecase of the second embodiment works over the entire circumferential edgeof the cam member 7 or 28, whereby the close contact of its upper endwith the steering wheel 16 or e is assured.

What is claimed is:

l. A direction-signal-cancelling mechanism releasably assembled in adirection-signal-indicating apparatus that includes a latch means, foruse in a vehicle which has a steering wheel having a counterbore, and asteering shaft, comprising an axially projecting tubular column havingan integrally formed base member and having a bore diameter sufficientfor said steering shaft to extend therethrough, a hollow annular cammember having a bore diameter sufficient for the steering shaft toextend therethrough and provided integrally at its periphery with aflange and with at least one axially extending cam lobe and at its upperend with at least one axially upwardly extending pin which is integralwith said cam member and engageable with said counterbore of saidsteering wheel for interconnecting the cam member and the steering shaftthrough the steering wheel when said wheel is rotated until said pin andcounterbore come into alignment with each other, said tubular column andsaid cam member being insertedly mounted on each other and having meansto permit said cam member to be axially slidable and rotatable, theaforementioned cam lobe projecting radially outwardly for engagementwith said latch means to effect automatic cancelling of the vehiclesdirection signals, one of said tubular column and said cam member beingprovided with at least one slit opening, spring means yieldablysupported between said flange provided on said cam member and thetubular column so as to yieldably urge the cam member as a whole axiallyupwardly towards the steering wheel, and a flange provided on one ofsaid tubular column and said cam member so as to limit the extent ofsaid movement ofsaid cam member.

2. A direction-signal-cancelling mechanism releaseably assembled into adirection-signal-indicating apparatus in a vehicle as claimed in claim1, in which said tubular column has the smaller bore diameter than thecam member and is insertedly mounted on the latter, and in which thereis provided a plurality of slits extending axially downwardly from theupper end of the tubular column, said spring means is yieldablysupported between the flange provided on the cam member adjacent itslower end and the base portion of the tubular column in such a way thatit surrounds the tubular column, and the flange, which limits the extentof movement of said cam member, is provided at the upper end of thetubular column and extends slightly radially outwardly so as to abutwith a shoulder provided to the inner peripheral wall of the cam member.

3. A direction-signal-cancelling mechanism releasably as- LII sembledinto a direction-signal-indicating apparatus in a vehicle as claimed inclaim 1, in which said cam member has the smaller bore diameter than thetubular column and is insertedly mounted on the latter, said slitopening extends axially upwardly from the lower end of the cam member,and the flange, which limits the extent of movement of said cam member,is provided on the lower end of the cam member, which abuts with thelower end of the tubular column and cooperates with the latter forlimiting the extent of said movement of said cam member.

1. A direction-signal-cancelling mechanism releasably assembled in adirection-signal-indicating apparatus that includes a latch means, foruse in a vehicle which has a steering wheel having a counterbore, and asteering shaft, comprising an axially projecting tubular column havingan integrally formed base member and having a bore diameter sufficientfor said steering shaft to extend therethrough, a hollow annular cammember having a bore diameter sufficient for the steering shaft toextend therethrough and provided integrally at its periphery with aflange and with at least one axially extending cam lobe and at its upperend with at least one axially upwardly extending pin which is integralwith said cam member and engageable with said counterbore of saidsteering wheel for interconnecting the cam member and the steering shaftthrough the steering wheel when said wheel is rotated until said pin andcounterbore come into alignment with each other, said tubular column andsaid cam member being insertedly mounted on each other and having meansto permit said cam member to be axially slidable and rotatable, theaforementioned cam lobe projecting radially outwardly for engagementwith said latch means to effect automatic cancelling of the vehicle''sdirection signals, one of said tubular column and said cam member beingprovided with at least one slit opening, spring means yieldablysupported between said flange provided on said cam member and thetubular column so as to yieldably urge the cam member as a whole axiallyupwardly towards the steering wheel, and a flange provided on one ofsaid tubular column and said cam member so as to limit the extent ofsaid movement of said cam member.
 2. A direction-signal-cancellingmechanism releaseably assembled into a direction-signal-indicatingapparatus in a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, in which said tubularcolumn has the smaller bore diameter than the cam member and isinsertedly mounted on the latter, and in which there is provided aplurality of slits extending axially downwardly from the upper end ofthe tubular column, said spring means is yieldably supported between theflange provided on the cam member adjacent its lower end and the baseportion of the tubular column in such a way that it surrounds thetubular column, and the flange, which limits the extent of movement ofsaid cam member, is provided at the upper end of the tubular column andextends slightly radially outwardly so as to abut with a shoulderprovided to the inner peripheral wall of the cam member.
 3. Adirection-signal-cancelling mechanism releasably assembled into adirection-signal-indicating apparatus in a vehicle as claimed in claim1, in which said cam member has the smaller bore diameter than thetubular column and is insertedly mounted on the latter, said slitopening extends axially upwardly from the lower end of the cam member,and the flange, which limits the extent of movement of said cam member,is provided on the lower end of the cam member, whIch abuts with thelower end of the tubular column and cooperates with the latter forlimiting the extent of said movement of said cam member.